Monday, January 20, 2014

Gosh, I can not believe how silly I am sometimes...all day long ive been just doing stuff around and with this notion in my head that I dont really have some nice pet stamps to show for today...what an idiot! At quarter to midnight, while browsing thru some stuff in my stamps' folders, I was proven so wrong! Cos I have actually a BUNCH of stamps related to pets! aaarghh!
And you know that feeling when you hurriedly are trying to find where they are, then trying to scan them...and you feel like you arms and hands are shivering cos you have no idea if you're gonna be in time (i really do not know at what time does that linky tool expire, and beyond which point i am no longer able to post a link?!
Anyways, I hope im gonna make it, cos I really wanted to show you these adorable kitties...and from what Ive checked, no one else has posted them today, so a reason more to be all anxious to make it!

here, I have this booklet with four cats issued by the Finnish post on May 4, 2006. What I do not like about them is that they are self-adhesive (im a bit old-fashioned when it comes to stamps), but they certainly look nice in this booklet..I love the paw prints! :)

the other ones come from Germany... i have both the mint stamps and the FDC...these were issued on 3 June 2004, and portray both cats and kittens...and if im not mistaken, these stamps are issued for those young people interested in philately...well, if i was a kid, these would surely grab my attention :)

I am both a cat and a dog person...just adore them...esp I have fondness for stray dogs and often wish i could adopt them all...anyways, for today I decided to stick with cats...cos with the lack of time im having for this post, i really couldnt afford to spend more time on thinking what to post :)

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Another Sunday has knocked on the door...and time for Sunday Stamps.
The topic for today is anything you wish...and you may be thinking, oh no, not trains again!!

Well, true...trains are like a saviour for my indecisiveness....but not today...so you can sigh with relief =)

Today I wanted to show this cover that arrived in my mailbox yesterday...and it is a pity to remain unshown, so I think it fits perfectly in the 'anything you wish' idea =)

Thanks a bunch to my friend Chris for this awesome surprise! Yep, it arrived as a surprise..never ever expected it, and as you know, the surprise factor is what adds so much to the thrill in receiving mail...esp. when it comes from a land far far away...like for example, Tristan da Cunha!!

yep, I can really call it a land far far away, cos it is indeed the land that is the most remote one in the world, where the closest piece of land to it lies within 2816 km, and that is South Africa! Can you imagine, living in a country that is an island, where the next nearest land is almost 3000 km away?? well, as much as I love getting isolated sometimes, as a European, I prefer being able to travel to different countries that are just hours away driving...and no one can argue this but, there are just so many fantastic destinations to travel to in Europe =)

anyways, back to the cover...there are two stamps attached...the one on the left is from a 4 stamps series issued in 2011, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the evacuation in 1961, when the entire population had to be evacuated due to the eruption of Queen Mary's Peak. Most families returned in 1963. And just as a side note, according to the 2010 census, the population was 264...no additional zeros or so, just 264...
the other stamp was issued in 2010 in a set of 12 stamps depicting Nature Conservation, with this stamp showing a cute little seal, representing the counting of the seals.

so, it feels really really special and such a treasure to receive such a cover from an island so remote, with such small population. Where mail is collected for some time, and then dispatched all at once...cos to get to and from the island you can only go by ship/boat...no plane!
Btw, I love the cancellation saying 'South Atlantic'.
If anyone is interested, you can check out my postcard blog for some Tristan da Cunha postcards.

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Sunday, January 5, 2014

Well, first of all, Happy Holidays to everyone! Hope the year ahead brings you love, joy, happy moments and, of course, lots of great mail :)
Been a while since I participated in the Sunday Stamps, but the entire year of 2013 was slow in general when it came to postcards, letters, blogs' updates...I am not into making New Year resolutions, but I do want to make 2014 a much better one mail-wise...
Today's Sunday Stamps' topic is about Sochi 2014, and other Olympic Games...and having this lovely envelope with the first day cancellations issued by the Russian post, I just couldn't resist participating...and I hope this will be a good start for taking part in as many Sunday Stamps' posts as possible =)

The event shall take place from 6 to 23 February 2014, in the Russian town of Sochi with some events held in the resort town of Krasnaya Polyan. On the envelope you can see the 3 Olympic mascots (the Amur Leopard, the European Hare and the Polar Bear).
I used to be much more into watching this kind of events when I was younger, but now, I barely watch TV and just follow sports online mainly...when Rafael Nadal is on court =)
Macedonia is going to have 3 representatives in this event, one in Apline skiing (men), and two in Cross-country skiing (men and women).
Not having any high hopes, knowing the conditions and the support Macedonian sports men and women get here, but I do wish they do have some great achievements which may open some doors for them in the future =)

Well, the main theme for today IS Sochi indeed, but it does open room for some other Olympic stamps so I decided to include two more (despite that as a general rule I do not include more than one country per post, unless it is some joint issue)

this second envelope is from Hong Kong with one fantastic mini sheet issued on July 27, 2012 to commemorate the 30th Olympic Games, released on day one of the London Games. These stamps form an exuberant circle that is bursting with sporting action.

the last one is a Serbian FDC, commemorating the XXI Olympic Winter Games that were held from February 12-28, 2010 in Vancouver, Canada.
Boy, it seemed as if this event in Vancouver took place just last year, but four years have passed indeed since then! Time simply flies so fast =/

well, I hope you liked my choice for today =)
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